Mth steam engineer smoker problem - help needed

Do you hear the smoke unit motor running?   Did you do reset?

Blow down the stack. You may have a fluid blockage. If not, then it sounds like the fan isn't running.

It seems that the fan is running but not running at full speed. Do I need a new fan? It's not a powerful burst.

If it is a older model some fans were wired backwards, just switch the wires. 

Check to make sure the wick is not obstructing air flow.

Stand in a corner on your head, hold your right hand extended two feet, hold you left hand extended 2.4 feet ( very important ), hold remote in left hand, scroll to advanced, scroll to " Don't know" and then hit enter.  If that doesn't work you had your hand too close

The fan can die, I've had them running very slowly after smoke fluid gets into the bearings.  The good news is, I've always been able to get them going by using some contact cleaner to flush out the smoke fluid, then a drop of real lubricating oil on the bearings.

Brian

I have fan motors at the club  We or You can DO IT

Have you seen, or heard a reliable report of, an MTH fan with the motor wired backwards? I've rewired a zillion Lionel and Train America units (the defect rate for a year or so was close to 50%), but I've never seen or heard of an MTH locomotive with this problem. 

Ben, do we have any replacement smoker parts at the club?

Awesome. I look coward to tinkering.

What happens if the gasket is in bad shape by the heating coils? I have another engine where th3 gasket is like that.

Well, you probably should replace it.  If it leaks, smoke tends to come out there inside the locomotive, and it can leak smoke fluid, but that only happens if you get a lot of fluid in there.

Brian

I can fix it for you  I have smoke unit parts at the club  Not to worry

Thanks

id used permatex copper red rtv as a gasket..it for high heat..no proublems yet.

What is the gasket's purpose?

to keep the smoke from leaking out..but it also protects the board from high heat..so it wont burn up the board..wished lionel did the samething like mth gasket..lionel doesnt over the center part where the heater are at..

I think there are 2 things going on. 1. the fan is not working well. 2. There seems to be a small gap between the fan motor and reservoir. Is that normal?

There should be some sort of gasket between the two chambers, you shouldn't have a gap where air from the fan can escape.  I have one of the Lionel "smart" units and an MTH PS/1 smoke unit here that are two-piece castings, both have a rubber spacer that seals the gap between the two chambers.

I am definitely missing that piece. I actually remember seeing it when I took the thing apart but now have no clue where it is.

put a 1-2 drops of 3in1 oil on the fan motor..then if you cant fin that gasket,you can put a small beed of that rvt i'd told you about around that area.keep it away from the fan hole going into the heater box..don't want to abstruck that hole..hey if you have you smoke unit out..do you want it to really put out the smoke?  If so I can tell you what to do..its quick and easy ..I have a video of mine after I'd moded mine and man it puts out the smoke now..

You can get material do rebuild the gasket from a local auto parts store.

I fixed it. Woohoo!! Thank you all for your comments. I used pieces of a passenger car diaphragm to seal the small spot where the fan meets the reservoir. I also aligned the smoke unit with the blowhole. Thanks again.

Very good   Isn't it called a stack  Somebody might get the wrong idea

Lol.

I supposed that depends on the type of smoke unit.

 

Note that the passenger car diaphragm may not stand up long term to the heat, the bowl of the smoke unit gets fairly warm at times.

warm?? try hot!!..thats rubbized plastic and in time will melt or fall appart do to the smoke fluid detrearate that diaphragm..

What material should I use instead?

I went to fix a premier atlantic smoker to find the inside of the engine a mess. I bought the engine a few months ago from an evil person that recently committed serious train theft crimes. I wish I knew what a ******* he was when I bought this thing. A lot of wires are not connected. This one is going to have to be a Ben special.  The guy told me it just needed a new wick.  I guess being new to the hobby I am the idiot.

heres a video of my moded mth smoke unit..just think what megasteam smoke fluid would do..

What type of modification did you make?

Thanks.

Josey email me the mod i need that for steamers.

Brian

I didn't know you bought the Atlantic from him  That engine had major problems  I told you guys to steer clear.

John

Same guy

I was never told the history of that engine. All I was told was it needed a new wick.

Is it fixable? I think it needs a bunch of new parts.

The engine was bought at same time I bought the J.
Right before things went down.

Dude id did one extra mod to my three smoke units tonight and man it helps it smoke more!!!..Id even done these mods to my lionel smoke unit and man it really smokes now..I love tinkering on smoke units and learn from them..thanks to gunnerjohn and GGG they help me on the repairs on the fan units dont work..they told to replace IC1 resister..